Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed toward an improvement in forklift vehicles and the like and, more particularly, to an accessory kit that is capable of extending the capacity of a forklift to pick up and carry wide payloads.
Description of the Prior Art
Forklift vehicles have been employed in numerous jobs to lift containers and pallets of material. Frequently, the forks which can be moved in a vertical direction and also tilted in the horizontal direction can be adjusted on the forklift vehicle to vary the width between the forks. The widths between the forks, however, are usually limited due to the structural design of the forklift vehicle. There have been prior art suggestions to pivot support members from the forklift vehicle to accommodate wider loads.
A particular problem has occurred in the construction business in moving pallets of dry wall panels. Frequently, as much as 10% of the moved dry wall panels are damaged or cracked due to the bending of the outer edges about the support points of the forks. Additionally the number of dry wall panels that can be carried by a forklift truck is also limited, not only because of weight limitations but also because of the exaggerated bending that can occur with heavier loads. Attempts to strengthen or support the dry wall have been inadequate and this industry has been forced to accept a certain percentage of breakage. Thus, there is a need to improve the payload capacity of conventional forklift vehicles without damaging the items carried.